Headquarters Tax Credit

Companies establishing or relocating their North American or International corporate headquarters [principal central administrative offices] in a Georgia community are eligible to receive an income tax credit of $5,000 per job per year for five years if the new jobs pay twice the county average wage rate.

The $5,000 credit is available in all counties regardless of tier level. [see example 1 below] 

$2,500 tax credit is available if the wages are greater than the county average. Each tier has a separate wage requirement based on the following chart. [see example 2 below]

The tax credit is available to taxpayers that (1) establish or relocate their headquarters and the headquarters of a subsidiary in Georgia, (2) create 50 or more jobs, (3) invest $1 million, and (4) pay wages that exceed the county average wage rate. Headquarters taxpayer cannot take the job or investment tax credit.

The headquarters tax credit can be used against 100% of tax liability regardless of where the taxpayer locates the headquarters. Credits not applied to income tax liability may be used to reduce withholding tax.

Example 1: Taxpayer locates headquarters in a Georgia county, creates 160 corporate headquarter jobs paying over twice the county average wage, and receives a tax credit of $4 million to reduce or eliminate GA income tax and withholdings liability: [160 x $5,000 x 5 years] = $4 million.

Example 2: Taxpayer locates headquarters in a tier 1 community, creates 160 corporate headquarter jobs paying a wage rate that is greater than the county average; and receives a tax credit of $2 million to reduce or eliminate GA income tax and withholdings liability:[160 x $2,500 x 5 years] = $2 million.